This week I am going to discuss how to try to apply the answer to putting and the short game. Originally this was just going to be a putting blog, but the weeks play changed all that. At first I thought I was going to write about how trying to execute the answer in putting and the short game could be different than trying to execute it in the full swing. This week changed all that. I played two rounds this week. Lets look at each round in depth on how it applies to the answer.

On Wednesday under some brutal conditions, 38 degrees with a pretty good breeze and some periodic mist, I managed to shoot a 75, although it was from the white tees at Scenic Valley which is pretty short, but considering the conditions, this was a really good round. I developed a swing that day that was very flat, but got me turning well, even though my body was pretty frozen. I had my best putting day, since finding the answer, by making some good putts on the back nine to birdie 3 of the last five holes, and even though they were wrapped around a double bogey, I shot one under on the back. I found a particular putting method that worked really well that day. There are two things that make putting different in trying to execute the answer. Putting itself, although relatively simple, can have dozens of ways to make a stroke. Lets face it, one of the things I am not going to do in trying to find my “that day swing” is to put my left hand low. Plus putting results are more black and white. Its either a miss or a make. If you recall last week when I started my nine hole round, I hit a 7 iron with a particular swing, and I considered the shot while not great, very acceptable. I continued to swing that way the rest of the round with good results. I also felt because putting is different, that a successful technique maybe tranferred from one day to the other.

Well today’s round proved me wrong. I had a horrible day putting and my short game was even worse, which led to an 81. The method that I had used on Wednesday failed miserably today and some preconceived short game ideas also were busts. My long game today was again pretty solid with a swing that found me making a solid move to my right side ala Curtis Strange. I did find a putting method on the back. that got me back to shooting a 38, highlighted by an eagle on the par 5 tenth hole.

What are the conclusions here? You must allow all three phases of your golf game to just happen, and not try to make them happen. This is much more difficult to do when it comes to putting and the short game. When you make a full swing there are many things happening to your body. You are turning, twisting, shifting, changing direction and cocking your wrists. All these movements can be felt and lead to you finding your that day swing. In the short game and putting there is not near the movement involved. So it is much more difficult to execute those aspects of the game with an open mind and not revert back to some previous technique. Its even harder to forget what was successful in the previous round. However, you must do this if are going to go into each round with that open and free mind that will allow all three parts of your golf game to function at its best for that day. A very productive week and there is an outside chance for some more golf this week, as I plunge forward to execute the answer.

3 Responses to The Goofy Game of Golf Trying to Execute the Answer

I like your new approach about playing the swing of the day. It does take the pressure of trying to do something that may not happen. As I read your story, I was a bit confused. The great putting stroke used on Wednesday did not work during today’s round; do you try to use your normal swing each time you play and accept what happens? I think, given your normal scores, that would be the approach I would use. Am I off base here?

Let me put in this way. Rather than coming up with a swing or putting thought, you are trying to come up with a swing and putting feel that will work that day. By the back nine I was actually using a bit of wrist action in my putting stroke that worked today. The next round I will try to feel what my body wants to to do that day that seems to give good results. It’s avoiding preconceived thoughts of what you should do.